[THC] B.I.G. March Newsletter
Dr L Swihart
swihart at purdue.edu
Wed Mar 7 12:41:10 EST 2007
Here is Bob Ostrander's latest. Some of it is quite amusing.
There's a lot. NOTE -- we will I believe be invited back to the Indiana
Microbrewers' Festival (see leading item under "Calendar Change") to
have a table and promote homebrewing. There will be event passes for
four club members to staff the table and those people will also have
tiem to peruse the offerings of an amazing number of breweries. We hope
to have defined defined "members" better by the time we organize for
that event. Probably by implementing a modest annual dues requirement.
*Brewers of Indiana Guild <http://www.brewersofindianaguild.com>
Newsletter* - March, 2007
*B.I.G. News*
CALENDAR CHANGE - The Indiana Microbrewers' Festival has been changed to
July 21st (from the 28th). The NASCAR race and the Michigan Brewers
Festival both are on the weekend of the 28th. - any web articles should
link to http://www.brewersofindianaguild.com/festival.html
Jerry Sutherlin's (Rock Bottom
<http://www.rockbottom.com/RockBottomWeb/RBR/Index.aspx?PageName=/RockBottomWeb/Controls/Location/DisplayLocationRBR.ascx&SectionName=Root.LocationFinder.LocationResults.LocationDetails.OurPlace&LocationID=10067>)
new daughter is named Madison.
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*Indiana News for Breweries*
Todd Antz at Keg Liquors in Clarksville has scheduled his annual Fest of
Ale for June 2nd of this year. Of course, he’d like as many Indiana
brewers as possible to attend that event, and it seems to that this
might be good timing to be there to promote the Micro Fest as well.
events at kegliquors.com <mailto:events at kegliquors.com>
The Great Lakes Brewing News <http://www.brewingnews.com/greatlakes/> is
going to revamp it's directory to include maps. Contact them at
800-474-7291 to get the most from their listing.
The Brewers Association has a new set of 125 styles. pdf
<http://www.beertown.org/education/pdf/BA_Beer_Style_2007.pdf>. They
also have changed the definition of craft brewery:
An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.
Craft beer comes only from a craft brewer. Small = annual production
of beer less than 2 million barrels. Beer production is attributed
to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships.
Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this
definition. Independent = Less than 25% of the craft brewery is
owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an
alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft
brewer. Traditional = A brewer who has either an all malt flagship
(the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers
brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers
or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.
The 2 million bbl/year keeps in Sam Adams. The 25% rule kicks out
Widmer, Lienenkugel, etc. The adjunct thing seems like it may exclude
Pittsburgh, Yuengling, Lone Star, etc. Should be controversial.
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*Indiana Beer** News*
The new Half Moon Restaurant & Brewery <http://www.halfmoonbrewery.com/>
in Kokomo is now open. It's on the extreme south edge of Kokomo on US 31.
One of the bills (HB1392) at the statehouse would allow 10 more liquor
licenses in Schereville in northwest Indiana. Reason? A proposed
50-store shopping center. They say it won't get off the drawing boards
unless some new TGIF-style restaurants can open there. BUT those 10 new
licenses will preclude any new licenses for real bars in the area.
Should mega-chains outweigh the small corner boozer? Hmmm. Anyone want
to guess which side will win? article
<http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/02/08/news/lake_county/docc34ec73b1de7473a8625727c0013c11a.txt>
The 2 Bloomington breweries get some ink
<http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.php?id=40719&adid=business>. And
Upland may put on a beer festival.
Eh? Evansville is the 19th most expensive city for a first date
according to Forbes magazine
<http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/09/first-date-gallo-ent-manage-cx_mf_0209bizoflovecities.html>.
Eh?
The Heorot in Muncie gets ink
<http://media.www.bsudailynews.com/media/storage/paper849/news/2007/02/09/Features/Sweet.Local.Rarity-2709009.shtml?sourcedomain=www.bsudailynews.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com>
as does the New Day Meadery in Elwood.
Upland <http://www.uplandbeer.com> and Caleb get more Indiana Daily
Student press in Fact or fiction: Is light beer better for you?
<http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.php?id=40906&adid=health> "I can
sacrifice 50 calories for something that intrigues my palate a little more."
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Schlafly is looking for a sales rep in the
Southern Indiana area, KY, Eastern IL, and TN. Contact
scottl at schlafly.com <mailto:scottl at schlafly.com> if you're interested.
It looks like Barley Island <http://barleyisland.tripod.com>'s new Flat
Top Wheat Ale will become a year-round regular in the lineup.
Greg Emig of Lafayette Brewing <http://www.lafayettebrewingco.com> sends
"A big "THANKS!" goes out to all who were a part of making Winter Warmer
2007 another wildly successful event. With the help of a dozen brewers,
200+ enthusiastic beer fans, Hogeye Navvy, Hogmaster Bob, South Street
Smokehouse, Sysco Foodservice, The Trails, McPhail Design, LBC
management & staff and the generous contributions of time & money from
friends & family alike, we were again able to raise approximately $3000
towards the Laura Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund. This year's
proceeds should very well allow us to complete our vision of fully
endowing this scholarship in order to provide monies for worthy Purdue
students in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences for years to
come. We are truly humbled by everyone's contributions in helping us
reach our goal. THANK YOU ALL!"
June 1 is the kickoff date for SteveFest
<http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2007/02/steve-halls-winning-stevefest-2007.html>
at RichO's in New Albany. With Keg Liquors <http://www.kegliquors.com>'
Fest of Ale in Clarksville on June 2nd it sounds like a road trip coming
up. Now all we have to do is wait for spring.
Hot Shotz <http://www.hotshotzgrill.com/> opened the evening of Feb
19th. They'll have full lunch and dinner service starting on the 22nd -
opening at 11am every day. The initial tap list includes Old Speckled
Hen, Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout, Goose Island Matilda, Upland Wheat,
Wheistephaner Hefe, Single Track Copper Ale, Brooklyn Lager, Three
Floyds Dreadnaught, Bells Two Hearted, Piraat, and Lindeman's Framboise.
Plus about 80 bottles. Missing is the Robert the Bruce and Dirty Dicks.
RtB may return when the next set of taps are added but Dirty Dicks has
been given the axe by Youngs/Wells. Hopefully Brian will have a web site
up soon so people can find it. Meanwhile, it's at 96th and Gray in
Carmel. He's getting local magazine publicity
<http://indianapolis.dbusinessnews.com/shownews.php?newsid=107433&type_news=latest>
already.
HoosierBeerGeek <http://hoosierbeergeek.com/> looks at Oaken Barrel's
Snake Pit Porter.
Sahara Mart in Bloomington (2nd and Walnut) has upgraded their beer room
yet again.
1. There's a large organic section with at least 20 titles including
Sammy Smiths, St. Peter's, Bison, Stone Mill, Wild Hop, Caledonian
Golden Promise and Prince Philip's Duchy Original with malt from
his farm.
2. Upland Dragonfly ($7) and the other Uplands ($6.60), and the
Chocolate Stout ($6). Slightly cheaper than at the brewpub.
3. Monthly beer spotlight brewery for March is Barley Island - Blind
Tiger and Dirty Helen ($6.50) and the others at $7.
Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Three Floyds' Black Sun Stout. article
<http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2007/02/28/chicagoists_beer_of_the_week_three_floyds_black_sun_stout.php>
It's officially in print now. Brugge Brasserie
<http://www.bruggebrasserie.com> will begin bottling it's beers brewed
at the Terre Haute Brewery in May. Mike Rowe may move the CV production
to a new downtown brewpub. article
<http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_059231650.html>
Oh, and Ram's Clay Robinson is one of Indianapolis Monthly's Hot Singles
<http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/monthly/hot_singles.asp>. No
stopping him now.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Upcoming Events*
Please see http://www.brewersofindianaguild.com/events.html for Indiana
(and some surrounding area) events. Also lists bands playing at member
breweries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*On Tap*
Please see http://www.brewersofindianaguild.com/ontap.html for the
current tap lists of Indiana Breweries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Miscellaneous News* (if you didn't read it at IndianaBeer.com
<http://www.IndianaBeer.com> already)
The Cantillon Brewery <http://www.cantillon.be/> in Brussels has been
the subject of several robberies lately including one on December 13
where Claude Van Roy (right) had a knife at her throat! They say the may
have to move out of their west-side neighborhood which would certainly
affect their wild-yeast lambics. Owner Jean-Pierre Van Roy says "Ik wil
mijn leven niet geven voor het patrimonium van de Geuze en de Lambik."
or "I don't want to give my life for the Gueuze-lambic legacy." They
have also been having many supply problems because trucks can't get down
the street.
Cains <http://www.cainsbeers.com> of Liverpool says they'll make an
Amber Ale next November infused with "succulent California Raisins".
CAMRA is hitting back. When pubs in Britain were allowed extended hours
a year ago plenty of newspapers called it "24 hour drinking" and said it
would lead to binge drinking. Now the consumer organization representing
Real Ale lovers says the low price of Fosters and Carling in
supermarkets encourages irresponsible use of alcohol. They found prices
of 54p per pint (about $3.80 per US 6-pack) and note that $2.68 of this
is tax. Now that's a price war on cheap beer.
Evidently
<http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070205/SPORTS03/702050358/-1/ZONES04>
Mayor Daley (Chicago) is sending some Berghoff beer to Bart Peterson
(Indy) to settle a bet. Hmmm. Why send a beer that originated in Indiana
<http://www.indianabeer.com/history/R-IndianaHistoryFtWayne.html#Berghoff>?
That's brewed in Wisconsin? Oh well. Prost Bart.
The (national) Brewers Association is starting promotional (lobbying)
efforts on behalf of the 1300 "small" brewers - those making less than
2,000,000 bbl / yr. See Roger's synopsis
<http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2007/02/small-brewers-caucus-in-us-house.html>.
Stone's Old Guardian <http://www.stonebrew.com/og/> Barley Wine is in
the state.
Got Mead? Need a cocktail? The CocktailAtlas
<http://www.cocktailatlas.com/L2Other/Mead_Mixer/Mead_Mixer.htm> comes
to the rescue.
The Oregon Brewers Festival won't allow children on the premises this
year after being scolded by the state Liquor Control Commission about a
rule that forbids minors from a "drinking environment". Before they had
a family-friendly atmosphere with playground and free root beer for kids
(and designated drivers).
Wow. Check out the new label art
<http://www.dogfish.com/news/Husband_._Wife_Team_Create_Art_for_Dogfish_Labels/698/index.htm>
for Dogfish head. (thanks Neil)
A 1998 91.1 million euro fine against Inbev and Kronenbourg for price
fixing in Belgium was just upheld by the EU court. article
<http://www.euractiv.com/en/competition/court-confirms-abatement-belgian-beer-cartel/article-161583>
Huh? Sam Adams unveils ultimate beer glass
<http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/02/sam_adams_unvei_1.html>?
"the first glass specifically designed to showcase beer as brewers
intended." - "world-renowned sensory experts" - "will be sold in
packages of four for $30"
Finally. Johns Hopkins has figured out how yeast have sex. And it
doesn't even involve alcohol. short article
<http://science.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1266802.php/Mating_habits_of_yeast_cells_studied>.
Long involved paper in March's Nature says "Live H. capsulatum yeast
deficient in a(1,3)-glucan were able to bind to fibroblasts expressing
dectin 1 but yeast expressing..." Ah, nevermind.
"The appeal of bourbon worldwide is on a roll. Everybody is gearing up
for more production." article
<http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/state/16729239.htm>
"But is any bottle of beer really worth $23?
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17188361/site/newsweek/>" Newsweek tests
Thomas Hardy's. Thanks Mat
Beer Launching Fridge <http://www.duke.edu/%7Ejwc13/beerlauncher.html> -
Save precious calories you'd otherwise waste walking to the cooler.
Complete with remote control. Bonus: video.
Left Hand <http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/>'s Oak-Aged Imperial Stout is
being held up by the fed's label approval mechanism. Seems they want
stated on the label what percent of the blend of oak-barrel vs stainless
steel matured beer goes into the bottle. That's something the brewer
didn't know until the final bottling. Oak isn't something you can
predict accurately and they need to control the character. After racking
on Jan 18-19 they could then re-submit for a new label approval and then
get the labels printed. Arrrrgh.
Limited Releases coming up from Left Hand:
* Early March: Oak-Aged Imperial Stout. 10.4%.
* Late May - Rye Bock Lager. 7.6%.
* Mid August - Oktoberfest. 6%
* Late August - Smoked Goosinator Doppelbock. Using smoked malt in
this years version. 750ml.
* October - Warrior IPA. 6.6% - an annual seasonal.
* November - Snow Bound Ale. 7.6%. 22oz.
* December - Oak-Aged Widdershins Barleywine. 8.8%. 750ml.
Barman in Newcastle gives self laser surgery with line-cleaning caustic.
Doesn't need glasses anymore. Don't try this at home. article
<http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/sundaysun/news/tm_headline=beer-goggle-miracle&method=full&objectid=18673635&siteid=50081-name_page.html>
The best selling quaff in Britain? No surprise - Stella Artois. But it's
now 60% bigger than 2nd place Carling and 3rd place Fosters. John
Smith's Bitter is #10. No other ale cracks the top 20; not even
Guinness. My goodness. Maybe because it takes 9 months to get a bar towel.
Why does beer froth?
Bubbles form under the influence of escaping carbon dioxide; the walls
of the bubbles consist of various proteins and carbohydrates present in
the beer such as dextrins, barley malt proteins, ions from the water and
bitter principles from the hop. These substances reduce the surface
tension of the water and thus prevent the formation of water droplets.
The walls of the bubbles are not evenly thick. Under the influence of
various factors, including gravity, surface tension and capillary
action, the thicker parts of the bubbles become thicker, with the final
result that the bubbles burst. After a certain time the thickness of the
head is halved: that is called the half-life. Determining this is an
interesting exercise for the school: you can examine how the half-life
is influenced, for example, by the temperature and the purity of the
glass. Experts describe a half-life of 110 seconds as very satisfactory.
Brewers also make use of froth stabilizers to prolong the time.
Reprinted from the BelgianShop <http://www.belgianshop.com/> newsletter.
They sell Belgian beers email, have a huge online catalog, ship to
Indiana, and also a good news search
<http://www.belgianshop.com/News/BShopNews.asp> and newsletter
<http://www.belgianshop.com/MassMail/MassMail.asp?Action=SubscribeEmailForm>.
The 2nd stupidest thing you'll read today: Sunday sales, George soap
opera version. There may be hope for one of the last 3 blue-law states
to come to their senses but maybe not. "The Rev. Aaron McCullough didn't
beat around the bush: Georgia lawmakers who vote for a bill which would
pave the way for the sale of alcohol on Sunday will have 'blood on their
hands' if a fatal accident results from a six-pack purchased on the
Sabbath." article
<http://www.dailyreportonline.com/Editorial/News/new_singleEdit.asp?individual_SQL=3/1/2007@13898_Public_.htm>
The stupidest thing you'll read today: A group of Attorneys General from
23 states are asking Anheuser Busch to put a opening age-check screen on
their web site. That's not new, lots of brewers have inconvenient
drop-down forms for this. What's new is they want A-B to collect user
name, address, and driver's license number. They also want A-B to make a
phone call to the user to verify age.
OK, maybe this is even stupider: A-B will be putting out a tea-flavored
beer, Evolve, in black and green tea flavors. 4.2% ABV.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
News compiled by Bob Ostrander, Marketing Director. It's all considered
accurate but then Bob has been known to have a drink or two while
writing this so-called tome. Views expressed are not necessarily those
of the Brewers of Indiana Guild, in which case Bob will lose his job.
All coupon offers are for Associate Members only, non-transferable, and
may be withdrawn due to unforeseen circumstances, acts of the gods,
bankruptcy, or other capricious reasons. It's illegal in Indiana to
offer any alcoholic beverage at discount through coupons, prizes, or the
fact that the drinker is female. Sorry.
This newsletter goes to all Brewers of Indiana Guild members.
To unsubscribe, please contact bob at indianabeer.com
<mailto:bob at indianabeer.com>.
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